We calculate assessed marks for candidates that are absent for an acceptable reason. We do this so we can award candidates an overall syllabus grade which allows them to progress with their education or next life steps. Where a candidate has missed a component for an acceptable reason, without calculating an assessed mark we are unable to award an overall syllabus grade.
We understand that our centres often have questions about assessed marks. To support you, we have created a Calculating assessed marks factsheet (PDF, 167KB) containing answers to many of your frequently asked questions including:
- when and how we calculate assessed marks
- how our method of calculating assessed marks
- cancels out the effect of an easy or difficult paper
- makes sure candidates who receive an assessed mark are not advantaged or disadvantaged compared to candidates who sat the paper.
We also explain when we may calculate an assessed mark for a missing component and when we cannot calculate an assessed mark for a missing component here.
It is important to note that:
- candidates can still get 100 per cent of the marks and have access to top grades
- our method of calculating assessed marks cancels out the effect of an easy or difficult paper. We make sure that the assessed marks for the question paper that has been missed reflect any difference in difficulty. This makes sure that no candidate is systematically advantaged or disadvantaged. There is an example of how this works in our Calculating assessed marks factsheet, available above.
- assessed marks are not shown on certificates, only the final syllabus grade is shown
- universities accept and trust results that use assessed marks.
Understanding calculated assessed marks
Watch our video explaining how we calculate assessed marks for candidates who miss a component of a syllabus, and why it is a fair way to give a candidate a grade.